Argentines have no respect for referees: Germany

Published: Thursday, July 1, 2010, 17:22 [IST]

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Erasima, Jul 1: Ahead of the battle of the titans in the FIFA World Cup 2010 quarterfinals, an off-field war can be expected to be sparked off with German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger accusing Argentina of being disrespectful towards their opponents as well as referees.

Schweinsteiger went back to what happened fours ago when Germany and Argentina met at the same stage of the World Cup. Chaos followed after the Germans ousted Argentina in a penalty shootout.

"The shootout is still in our memory, but what really weighs heavily on our minds is what happened after that match," Schweinsteiger is quoted as saying in The Seattle Times.

"We have to remain calm and not get provoked, and I hope the referee will be very alert," he remarked on Wednesday, Jun 30.

"You could see their behavior at halftime of the game against Mexico. When you look at their body language and gesticulations, the way they try to influence the referees, they have no respect. It's their mentality and character, and we'll have to adjust," the midfielder added.

Besides the scathing remarks against Diego Maradona's men, Schweinsteiger accused the Argentine fans of occupying the places of others in the stadiums.

However, he followed it up by praising the current Argentine squad, which has been trained by Maradona making them better in 'every sector'.

These contentious comments could invite the ire of the controversial and eccentric Argentine coach, who has managed to some how hold an off-field war ahead of most of the Argentina games.